Fundamental Parameters for Central Stars of 103 Infrared Bow Shock Nebulae
Stellar bow shock nebulae are arcuate shock fronts formed by the interaction of radiation-driven stellar winds and the relative motion of the ambient interstellar material. Stellar bow shock nebulae provide a promising means to measure wind-driven mass loss, independent of other established methods....
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
IOP Publishing
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | The Astrophysical Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ade22f |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849469390466056192 |
|---|---|
| author | Nikhil Patten Henry A. Kobulnicky Matthew S. Povich Angelica S. Whisnant Sydney Andrews Alexandra Boone Srujan Dandu Naomi Jones S. Nick Justice Dylan Hope Alexander Larsen Ryan McCrory Julia Meredith Maria Renee Meza Alexandra C. Rosenthal William Salazar Alexander R. Sterling Noshin Yesmin Daniel A. Dale |
| author_facet | Nikhil Patten Henry A. Kobulnicky Matthew S. Povich Angelica S. Whisnant Sydney Andrews Alexandra Boone Srujan Dandu Naomi Jones S. Nick Justice Dylan Hope Alexander Larsen Ryan McCrory Julia Meredith Maria Renee Meza Alexandra C. Rosenthal William Salazar Alexander R. Sterling Noshin Yesmin Daniel A. Dale |
| author_sort | Nikhil Patten |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Stellar bow shock nebulae are arcuate shock fronts formed by the interaction of radiation-driven stellar winds and the relative motion of the ambient interstellar material. Stellar bow shock nebulae provide a promising means to measure wind-driven mass loss, independent of other established methods. In this work, we characterize the stellar sources at the center of bow shock nebulae drawn from all-sky catalogs of 24 μ m–selected nebulae. We obtain new, low-resolution blue optical spectra for 104 stars and measure stellar parameters temperature T _eff , surface gravity ${\mathrm{log}}\,g$ , and projected rotational broadening $v\sin i$ . We perform additional photometric analysis to measure stellar radius R _* , luminosity L _* , and visual-band extinction A _V . All but one of our targets are O and early B stars, with temperatures ranging from T = 16.5 to 46.8 kK, gravities from ${\mathrm{log}}\,g=$ 2.57 to 4.60, and $v\sin i$ from <100 to 400 km s ^−1 . With the exception of rapid rotator ζ Oph, bow shock stars do not rotate at or near critical velocities. At least 60 of 103 (60%) OB bow shock stars are binaries, consistent with the multiplicity fraction of other OB samples. The sample shows a runaway fraction of 23%, with 19 stars having v _2D ≥ 25 km s ^−1 . Of the 19 runaways, at least 15 (≥79%) are binaries, favoring dynamical ejection over the binary supernova channel for producing runaways. We provide a comprehensive census of stellar parameters for bow shock stars, useful as a foundation for determining the mass-loss rates for OB-type stars—one of the single most critical factors in stellar evolution governing the production of neutron stars and black holes. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3eeaca8f85614e5e89b9cdaa4eb621ee |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1538-4357 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Astrophysical Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-3eeaca8f85614e5e89b9cdaa4eb621ee2025-08-20T03:25:29ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal1538-43572025-01-01988218310.3847/1538-4357/ade22fFundamental Parameters for Central Stars of 103 Infrared Bow Shock NebulaeNikhil Patten0https://orcid.org/0009-0005-0582-8469Henry A. Kobulnicky1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4475-4176Matthew S. Povich2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9062-3583Angelica S. Whisnant3https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1963-5754Sydney Andrews4Alexandra Boone5https://orcid.org/0009-0006-3467-630XSrujan Dandu6https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4578-3216Naomi Jones7S. Nick Justice8https://orcid.org/0009-0007-6290-3319Dylan Hope9Alexander Larsen10https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2401-8411Ryan McCrory11https://orcid.org/0009-0005-1158-6777Julia Meredith12Maria Renee Meza13https://orcid.org/0009-0002-8615-6403Alexandra C. Rosenthal14https://orcid.org/0009-0001-2223-2975William Salazar15Alexander R. Sterling16Noshin Yesmin17https://orcid.org/0009-0009-4618-8049Daniel A. Dale18https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5782-9093Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Wyoming , 1000 E. University Avenue, Laramie, WY 82071, USADepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of Wyoming , 1000 E. University Avenue, Laramie, WY 82071, USADepartment of Physics and Astronomy, California State Polytechnic University , 3801 West Temple Ave., Pomona, CA 91768, USADepartment of Physics and Astronomy, California State Polytechnic University , 3801 West Temple Ave., Pomona, CA 91768, USA; Department of Astronomy, Ohio State University , 4055 McPherson Laboratory, 140 West 18th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USADepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of Wyoming , 1000 E. University Avenue, Laramie, WY 82071, USA; Department of Physics and Astronomy, Appalachian State University , 525 Rivers Street, Boone, NC 28608, USADepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of Wyoming , 1000 E. University Avenue, Laramie, WY 82071, USADepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of Wyoming , 1000 E. University Avenue, Laramie, WY 82071, USADepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of Wyoming , 1000 E. University Avenue, Laramie, WY 82071, USADepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of Wyoming , 1000 E. University Avenue, Laramie, WY 82071, USADepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of Wyoming , 1000 E. University Avenue, Laramie, WY 82071, USA; Department of Physics and Astronomy, California State Polytechnic University , 3801 West Temple Ave., Pomona, CA 91768, USADepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of Wyoming , 1000 E. University Avenue, Laramie, WY 82071, USADepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of Wyoming , 1000 E. University Avenue, Laramie, WY 82071, USA; Department of Physics, Rhodes College , 2000 North Pkwy., Memphis, TN 38112, USADepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of Wyoming , 1000 E. University Avenue, Laramie, WY 82071, USA; Department of Physics, Juniata College , 1700 Moore Street, Huntingdon, PA 16652, USADepartment of Astronomy, University of Virginia , 530 McCormick Road, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USADepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of Wyoming , 1000 E. University Avenue, Laramie, WY 82071, USA; Department of Astronomy, University of Virginia , 530 McCormick Road, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA; Department of Astronomy and Cornell Center for Astrophysics and Planetary Science, Cornell Univsersity , Ithaca, NY 14853, USADepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of Wyoming , 1000 E. University Avenue, Laramie, WY 82071, USA; Department of Physics and Astronomy, California State Polytechnic University , 3801 West Temple Ave., Pomona, CA 91768, USADepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of Wyoming , 1000 E. University Avenue, Laramie, WY 82071, USA; Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Notre Dame , 225 Nieuwland Science Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USADepartment of Astronomy, University of Virginia , 530 McCormick Road, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USADepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of Wyoming , 1000 E. University Avenue, Laramie, WY 82071, USAStellar bow shock nebulae are arcuate shock fronts formed by the interaction of radiation-driven stellar winds and the relative motion of the ambient interstellar material. Stellar bow shock nebulae provide a promising means to measure wind-driven mass loss, independent of other established methods. In this work, we characterize the stellar sources at the center of bow shock nebulae drawn from all-sky catalogs of 24 μ m–selected nebulae. We obtain new, low-resolution blue optical spectra for 104 stars and measure stellar parameters temperature T _eff , surface gravity ${\mathrm{log}}\,g$ , and projected rotational broadening $v\sin i$ . We perform additional photometric analysis to measure stellar radius R _* , luminosity L _* , and visual-band extinction A _V . All but one of our targets are O and early B stars, with temperatures ranging from T = 16.5 to 46.8 kK, gravities from ${\mathrm{log}}\,g=$ 2.57 to 4.60, and $v\sin i$ from <100 to 400 km s ^−1 . With the exception of rapid rotator ζ Oph, bow shock stars do not rotate at or near critical velocities. At least 60 of 103 (60%) OB bow shock stars are binaries, consistent with the multiplicity fraction of other OB samples. The sample shows a runaway fraction of 23%, with 19 stars having v _2D ≥ 25 km s ^−1 . Of the 19 runaways, at least 15 (≥79%) are binaries, favoring dynamical ejection over the binary supernova channel for producing runaways. We provide a comprehensive census of stellar parameters for bow shock stars, useful as a foundation for determining the mass-loss rates for OB-type stars—one of the single most critical factors in stellar evolution governing the production of neutron stars and black holes.https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ade22fStellar windsStellar mass lossMassive starsH II regions |
| spellingShingle | Nikhil Patten Henry A. Kobulnicky Matthew S. Povich Angelica S. Whisnant Sydney Andrews Alexandra Boone Srujan Dandu Naomi Jones S. Nick Justice Dylan Hope Alexander Larsen Ryan McCrory Julia Meredith Maria Renee Meza Alexandra C. Rosenthal William Salazar Alexander R. Sterling Noshin Yesmin Daniel A. Dale Fundamental Parameters for Central Stars of 103 Infrared Bow Shock Nebulae The Astrophysical Journal Stellar winds Stellar mass loss Massive stars H II regions |
| title | Fundamental Parameters for Central Stars of 103 Infrared Bow Shock Nebulae |
| title_full | Fundamental Parameters for Central Stars of 103 Infrared Bow Shock Nebulae |
| title_fullStr | Fundamental Parameters for Central Stars of 103 Infrared Bow Shock Nebulae |
| title_full_unstemmed | Fundamental Parameters for Central Stars of 103 Infrared Bow Shock Nebulae |
| title_short | Fundamental Parameters for Central Stars of 103 Infrared Bow Shock Nebulae |
| title_sort | fundamental parameters for central stars of 103 infrared bow shock nebulae |
| topic | Stellar winds Stellar mass loss Massive stars H II regions |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ade22f |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nikhilpatten fundamentalparametersforcentralstarsof103infraredbowshocknebulae AT henryakobulnicky fundamentalparametersforcentralstarsof103infraredbowshocknebulae AT matthewspovich fundamentalparametersforcentralstarsof103infraredbowshocknebulae AT angelicaswhisnant fundamentalparametersforcentralstarsof103infraredbowshocknebulae AT sydneyandrews fundamentalparametersforcentralstarsof103infraredbowshocknebulae AT alexandraboone fundamentalparametersforcentralstarsof103infraredbowshocknebulae AT srujandandu fundamentalparametersforcentralstarsof103infraredbowshocknebulae AT naomijones fundamentalparametersforcentralstarsof103infraredbowshocknebulae AT snickjustice fundamentalparametersforcentralstarsof103infraredbowshocknebulae AT dylanhope fundamentalparametersforcentralstarsof103infraredbowshocknebulae AT alexanderlarsen fundamentalparametersforcentralstarsof103infraredbowshocknebulae AT ryanmccrory fundamentalparametersforcentralstarsof103infraredbowshocknebulae AT juliameredith fundamentalparametersforcentralstarsof103infraredbowshocknebulae AT mariareneemeza fundamentalparametersforcentralstarsof103infraredbowshocknebulae AT alexandracrosenthal fundamentalparametersforcentralstarsof103infraredbowshocknebulae AT williamsalazar fundamentalparametersforcentralstarsof103infraredbowshocknebulae AT alexanderrsterling fundamentalparametersforcentralstarsof103infraredbowshocknebulae AT noshinyesmin fundamentalparametersforcentralstarsof103infraredbowshocknebulae AT danieladale fundamentalparametersforcentralstarsof103infraredbowshocknebulae |